"Alright, Jude." Stef announced, "I am taking you over to Mike's. He's good people, alright?" Stef informed the frightened boy.

"But I wanna stay with Callie." He whimpered, "I wanna be with my sister."

"Any you will baby, you will. I promise you."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded, "Okay."

The two stood outside Mike's apartment. Jude and Callie had said goodbye earlier, though a much less tearful one. Although they were both very sad about being separated within a two-day radius, they both had a strong belief that they would see each other very soon.

The door opened and out walked Mike. He looked down at the boy in front of him and offered a kind smile. But Stef just seemed concerned, "Oh, hell no."

"What?" Jude asked.

"Mike, please tell me you aren't drunk right now."

"I-I-I..." He tripped over thin air, and the female police officer facepalmed.

The blonde draped an arm around the boy's shoulder, guiding him back to her squad car. Not knowing what else to do, she dialed Callie's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Callie it's Stef. So, I'm here with Jude..."

"You're there with Jude? I thought he'd be at Mike's by now."

"Yes, about that. He had been drinking—"

"Seriously? Is Jude okay? Did Mike hurt him?"

"He's fine, don't worry." Stef confirmed, "He didn't even go into the house."

"So, what're we gonna do now?" Callie paused, a thought popping into her head, "Hey, will you come over here with Jude? I need you to check something for me."

Nodding into her phone, the police officer drove along until they arrived at the house. Callie was already waiting for them in the front yard, smiling as she saw her brother run over to her. Jude pounced on her and wrapped the brunette in a tight hug.

"Hey, baby, why don't you head inside? I need to talk to Stef for a bit."

The 13-year-old paused and shuffled his feet. Callie grabbed his hands, "I'll be right there, okay? I promise you." She ruffled his hair, which made him laugh. Jude ran inside, and the brunette turned to the officer.

Taking a seat beside the girl, she frowned, "Is something wrong? What did you need to talk to me about?"

"You have to sign away your parental rights for a child to get adopted, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because I don't remember signing the abandonment papers for Jude to get adopted. Do you think maybe the Smiths could've forged it? Because if so, that means that I am still his legal guardian and the restraining order could be dissolved. Because only a parent or guardian could place a restraining order against someone."

Leaning back, Stef exhaled lightly, "That could be possible, yes. Of course, that'd mean that the family would be guilty of forgery. I could go talk to them right now, if you want."

"I want to come with you." Callie said, "Jude's not there, so I have every right to be at their house."

Stef nodded in response, not saying anything, "Alright."

"I'd like to go tomorrow instead of today. First thing."

The blonde woman nodded in response, "Alright, tomorrow it is."

Both females got up and walked inside together. Jude's eyes brightened as soon as he saw his sister open the door. He ran over to her and practically leaped into the girl's arms, hugging her tightly.

"What's this for? I was only gone for a minute."

"I don't like being alone with strangers." He admitted, "I need you to be with me. Please." Jude begged, squeezing her tighter.

"Alright, I won't." Callie kissed her brother on the forehead and brought him over to the couch, sitting them both down. He leaned his head on her shoulder, the brunette gently rubbing his arm.

"I have some sort of good news." Callie whispered, "There's a possibility that I may actually still be your legal guardian."

"What?" He shouted, sitting upright and knocking heads with his sister in the process. Rubbing her forehead, she managed a smile through the pain (emotional and physical), "There's a possibility of them faking my signiture on your abandonment papers."

He nodded in understanding, "Yeah...I don't remember you signing of them. Did you even agree to it?"

"Would I have been in this situation if I had?" Callie smiled, "But if they can't prove that I didn't sign it, then there's a possibility that I could be sent to jail a third time."

Third? Stef thought to herself, who was in the kitchen.

"But if Melanie and Richard are proven guilty, then we can leave, right?"

"If that's what you still want."

He nodded enthusiastically and wrapped his sister in a tight hug. The girl laughed and held him close, kissing him on his forehead.

Although both siblings were fully aware that none of this was Callie's fault, they still worried about the outcome.

Would the judge even believe Callie? It was unlikely, given she had a record. But they would do anything in their power to prove the Smiths' were at fault.

How did I not realize this sooner? The brunette thought to herself.

"Jude?" She whispered, "I'm going to go talk to Melanie and Richard with Stef, tomorrow, okay?"

"You're leaving me alone? But Callie, you just told me—"

"I know what I said. But if you are there with me we could only get into more trouble. I'll only be gone half an hour, okay? And you are to never leave this house or answer the door for anyone. Lena is going to be here, and you can trust her, alright?"

"Do you trust her?"

Callie bit her lip, "I trust her to take care of you."

"That's not a yes." Jude said.

"Then trust me, okay?" The brunette said, "Trust me when I say she can take care of you. Just for thirty minutes, alright? And no answering any doors, don't call me."

"Why can't I call you?"

"Because they think I'm harassing you." Tears came to her eyes, "They kept saying that you don't love me. That you're afraid of me. That I'm worth nothing."

"That's not true at all!" Jude argued, "You know I love you."

"I know, Jude, I know. And I love you too." She kissed his cheek, "That doesn't mean that what they said was any less shitty."

The boy frowned, leaning his head on Callie's shoulder again. The two stayed like that for the rest of the day, until finally they fell asleep.

Lena and Stef noticed this and draped a blanket over the two. The siblings were snuggled close to one another, matching smiles on their faces.

Callie and Jude woke up at the same time the next morning, courtesy of Stef. The brunette had fallen asleep with her clothes on from yesterday, the same going for Jude.

"Come on." The police officer said to the brunette, who nodded. She kissed her brother goodbye and assured him that everything would be alright.

The car ride seemed to last forever. So finally, when Stef and Callie reached the car the brunette got out instantly and knocked on the door. And who was to open it but Melanie.

"I hope you're here with my son." The woman spat in Callie's direction.

"Yeah about that." She said, sliding her hands into her back pockets, "I don't remember signing Jude's abandonment papers."

"Well, you did."

"When?" Stef asked.

"You know, back um...the day.... y'know..."

"No, we don't know." Callie paused, "Was there any chance you might've forged my signature?"

"No. You signed it."

"How could you be so sure? I mean, I don't remember giving any consent to that."

"You were drunk when it happened."

"I don't drink." Callie answered honestly, because it was true.

"Well...you did."

"If any part of this is true, that meant you purposely got me intoxicated so you could take advantage of me and get me to sign the papers."

Stef raised an eyebrow; this girl was on a serious roll.

"But the thing is, I wasn't drunk. And I sure as hell know that Jude knows that too. He pays attention." She announced, "So did you or did you not forge my signature?"

"Um...um..."

"Ma'am, we need an answer now." Stef said.

"We...we might've...yes...we did." Melanie admitted, "But it's for Jude's own good."

"Please go get your husband." Stef ordered, watching the woman walk inside to go grab Richard. He came out a minute later looking baffled, "What's going on?"

"I'm Officer Foster and you two are under arrest for forgery." The blonde said, grabbing two pairs of cuffs and snapping them onto each person.

Leading them to the car, Callie couldn't help but smile as she watched. After dropping Melanie and Richard off to the station to be questioned, they rode back home.

Beaming, Callie ran inside and picked up her younger brother, lifting him in the air and twirling him around.

"What happened?" Jude asked.

"Melanie admitted to forgery!" She squealed (in a very un-Callie sort of way). Pulling him into a tight hug she smiled, "We can leave now, baby!"

Beaming now, Jude hugged her right back.

Things were finally working out.